Image forming apparatus

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus includes an operating section accepting an operation by a user, a receiving section receiving data for a print job from an externally connected instrument, an image forming section starting an image forming based on a print job if the operating section accepts an operation to start the print job or if the receiving section receives data for the print job, a display section displaying varieties of information for printing on a display area, a lighting section illuminating the display section from a back portion thereof, and a control section causing lighting of the lighting section to be turned off gradually part by part until finally turned off entirely if entire lighting of the lighting section is in a state of keeping being turned on when the image forming section starts an image forming.

CROSS REFERENCE

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)on Patent Application No. 2011-248229 filed in Japan on Nov. 14, 2011,and on Patent Application No. 2011-248230 filed in Japan on Nov. 14,2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus turning offa back light of a display section after the passage of a predeterminedperiod of time without any operations.

An Image forming apparatus is provided with a LCD (liquid crystaldisplay) panel displaying information on copying and/or printingperformed by a main body. Also, the image forming apparatus is providedwith a back light in the back portion of the LCD panel to improvevisibility of the information displayed on the LCD panel.

Among the conventional image forming apparatus is one that turns off theback light to save power consumption thereof when a state continues fora predetermined period of time where there is no user's operation.

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus above the backlight illuminates its entire display area of the LCD panel until it isturned off. In other words, the light illuminates not only a regiondisplaying information but also a region not displaying any information.Therefore, there is still room for more power saving on the back light.

There, an invention on an image forming apparatus has been disclosed inwhich a plurality of back lights are provided on the rear side of theLCD panel that only illuminate positions corresponding to positions atwhich character information is displayed selectively (refer to JapanesePatent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-279927 bulletin).

Application of the invention disclosed in the patent literature above tothe conventional image forming apparatus can further reduce powerconsumption of the back light.

However, it is often the case that users of the image forming apparatuseither do not look at any information displayed on the LCD panel at allor only look at part of the information after having operated a copystart button. For example, when the number of sheets to copy is small, auser, watching the printed matter being discharged from the paperdischarge section and watching that the discharge of the printed matteris completed, then takes it away without looking at the informationdisplayed on the LCD panel. Also, when the image forming apparatus isperforming a plurality of print jobs consecutively, the user only looksat part of the information such as current status of an ongoing printjob and/or order in a queue of the print job the user has ordered, andso forth. Moreover, when a user orders a run of a print job to the imageforming apparatus from a personal computer, the user cannot look at theinformation displayed on the LCD panel of the image forming apparatus.

Thus, in the conventional image forming apparatus to which the inventionthat is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No.2003-279927 bulletin is applied, there is room for reduction in powerconsumption of the back light.

Therefore, the present invention is directed to providing an imageforming apparatus capable of further reducing power consumption of aback light.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes anoperating section, a receiving section, an image forming section, adisplay section, a lighting section and a control section. The operatingsection accepts an operation by a user. The receiving section receivesdata for a print job from an externally connected instrument. The imageforming section starts an image forming based on the print job, if theoperating section accepts an operation to start a print job or if thereceiving section receives data for a print job. The display sectiondisplays varieties of information for printing on a display area. Thelighting section illuminates the display section from a back portionthereof. The control section causes lighting of the lighting section tobe turned off gradually part by part, until it is finally turned offentirely, if entire part of the lighting of the lighting section is keptturned on when an image forming is started.

It is often the case that users of the image forming apparatus either donot look at any information displayed on the display screen at all oronly look at part of the information after having operated a print startbutton. Thus, in the present invention, if entire part of the lightingof the lighting section is kept turned on when an image forming isstarted, the lighting of the lighting section is caused to be turned offgradually part by part, until it is finally turned off entirely. Thisenables power consumption of the lighting section to decrease gradually,thereby making it possible to reduce the power consumption drasticallyas compared with the case where the entire part of the lighting of thelighting section is turned off after the passage of a predeterminedperiod of time.

In the above-mentioned invention, if the operating section accepts anoperation during the time that the image forming section is performingan image forming and that the lighting of the lighting section is keptturned off, the control section causes part of the lighting of thelighting section to be turned on, and causes a partial display regionilluminated by the part of the lighting of the lighting section todisplay information.

With the invention, the image forming apparatus causes the lighting ofthe lighting section to be turned off at the start of an image forming,and let a user who wants to look at information operate the operatingsection, thereby causing part of the lighting of the lighting section tobe turned on and displaying the information. This can yield a reductionin power consumption of the lighting section in the meantime because thelighting of the lighting section is kept turned off until a useroperates the operating section. Additionally, because it is part of thelighting of the lighting section that is turned on, the powerconsumption can be reduced as compared with the case where the entirelighting of the lighting section is turned on. Besides, the informationa user needs to know can be displayed while the reduction in powerconsumption of the lighting section is achieved.

In the above-mentioned invention, the control section includes afunction to control content displayed on the display area of the displaysection, and causes the partial display region to display specifiedinformation.

With the invention, since the specified information is caused to bedisplayed on the partial display region which is a partial region of thedisplay area, displaying the information the user needs gatheredtogether on the partial display region makes it possible to display theinformation a user needs to know while reducing power consumption of thelighting section.

The specified information to display therefore includes the informationneeded by the user such as current status of an ongoing print job theimage forming section is performing and/or information on order in aqueue of print jobs the image forming section performs, and so forth.

In the above-mentioned invention, the image forming apparatus includes atouch operating section. The touch operating section is installed in afront portion of the display section, and accepts a touching operationby a user. The control section includes a function to control thecontent displayed on the display area of the display section, and causesthe partial display region to display a display button, and causes thepartial display region to display the specified information if the touchoperating section accepts a touching operation of the display button.

With the invention, if the operating section accepts an operation duringthe time that the image forming section is performing an image formingand that the lighting of the lighting section is kept turned off, thedisplay button is displayed on the partial display region. Then,touching the display button displayed on the display section can causethe partial display region to display the specified information. Thiscan help keep on suppressing the power consumption even if the touchoperating section is mistakenly operated during the time that the imageforming apparatus is performing an image forming process, because onlythe display button is displayed then. Also, what is required when a userwants to look at necessary information is just touching the displaybutton, which makes it easy for the user to check the information.

In the above-mentioned invention, if the operating section or the touchoperating section accepts the specified operation during the time thatthe image forming section is performing an image forming and that partof the lighting of the lighting section is kept turned on, the controlsection causes the entire lighting of the lighting section to be turnedon.

With the invention, when a user wants to do a setting for a new printjob or the like, the entire lighting of the lighting section can beturned on by carrying out a specified operation at the operating sectionor the touch operating section. For example, the above is implemented insuch a manner that the entire lighting of the lighting section is turnedon if an all-lights-on button provided in the operating section isoperated or if a touching operation is made to a display area of whichpart of the lighting of the lighting section is turned off in the touchoperating section. By such a simple operation, the lighting of thelighting section can be caused to be entirely turned on.

In the above-mentioned invention, if the lighting of the lightingsection is partly kept turned on when the image forming section finishesthe image forming the control section causes the entire lighting of thelighting section to be turned off.

With the invention, the entire lighting of the lighting section isturned off when the image forming is finished, since it becomesunnecessary to display on the partial display region the informationrelating to the print job. This can yield a reduction in powerconsumption of the lighting section.

In the above-mentioned invention, if the operating section or the touchoperating section accepts an operation during the time that the imageforming section is waiting for an image forming and that the entirelighting of the lighting section is kept turned off, the control sectioncauses the entire lighting of the lighting section to be turned on.

Because a user operates the operating section or the touch operatingsection when carrying out a setting for an image forming during the timethat an image forming is waited for, causing the entire display area tobe illuminated then make it possible to accept the print job.

In the above-mentioned invention, the operating section is provided witha light-off button causing the entire lighting of the lighting sectionto be turned off. With the invention, the user, who has caused part ofthe lighting of the lighting section to be turned on by operating theoperating section or the touch operating section, can cause the entirelighting of the lighting section to be turned off by operating thelight-off button. This can yield a reduction in power consumption at thetime when display becomes unnecessary after the display has been lookedat.

The invention makes it possible to further reduce power consumption ofthe lighting section.

In the above-mentioned invention, the control section causes the partialdisplay region illuminated by part of the lighting of the lightingsection turned on to display information representing current status ofan ongoing image forming performed by the image forming section untilthe entire lighting of the lighting section is turned off.

It is often the information representing current status of an ongoingimage forming performed by the image forming section that users of theimage forming apparatus look at after a start of the image forming. Withpresent invention, during the time that part of the lighting of thelighting section is kept turned on, minimum information the user needsis displayed. This permits the user to check necessary informationwithout operating the operating section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example of a configuration diagram of a printing systemincluding an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4(A) is an external view of a panel unit.

FIG. 4(B) is an example of an image to display on a display section.

FIG. 4(C) is an example of configuration of a plurality of back lightelements.

FIG. 4(D) is an example of display of an image when part of theplurality of back light elements are turned on.

FIG. 4(E) is an example when the part of the plurality of back lightelements are turned on.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart explaining processes of a first embodiment.

FIG. 6(A) is a diagram showing a state in which all of the plurality ofback light elements are turned off.

FIG. 6(B) is a diagram showing a display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 6(A).

FIG. 6(C) is a diagram showing a state in which part of the plurality ofback light elements are turned on.

FIG. 6(D) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 6(C).

FIG. 6(E) is a diagram showing a state in which about half the numbersof the plurality of back light elements are turned on.

FIG. 6(F) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 6(E).

FIG. 6(G) is a diagram showing a state in which all of the plurality ofback light elements are turned on.

FIG. 6(H) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 6(G).

FIG. 7(A) shows timing of a light-on/light-off control of the back lightin the case in which the back light has been turned off before aprinting starts;

FIG. 7(B) and FIG. 7(C) show cases in which a predetermined period oftime is in the course of elapsing after a user operated an operatingsection; and

FIG. 7(D) shows a case in which the operating section was operatedduring the printing.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart explaining processes of a second embodiment.

FIG. 9(A) is a diagram showing a state in which all of the plurality ofback light elements are turned on.

FIG. 9(B) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 9(A).

FIG. 9(C) is a diagram showing a state in which about half the numbersof the plurality of back light elements are turned on.

FIG. 9(D) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 9(C).

FIG. 9(E) is a diagram showing a state in which part of the plurality ofback light elements are turned on.

FIG. 9(F) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 9(E).

FIG. 9(G) is a diagram showing a state in which all of the plurality ofback light elements are turned off.

FIG. 9(H) is a diagram showing the display section when the plurality ofback light elements are in the state shown in FIG. 9(G).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an example is explained in which the present invention isapplied to a digital multifunctional apparatus installed in an office.

[Configuration of an Image Forming System]

As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system 100 includes a digitalmultifunctional apparatus (merely referred to as multifunctionalapparatus, hereinafter) 1, N units of computers 2-1 through 2-N, acomputer 3, an Internet Fax apparatus 4 and a Fax machine 5.

The multifunctional apparatus 1 and the computers 2-1 through 2-N areconnected to a LAN 6 laid in the office. The computer 3, the InternetFax apparatus 4 and the LAN 6 are connected to the Internet network 7.Also, the multifunctional apparatus 1, the Fax machine 5 and the mobilephone 61 are connected to the dial-up line network 8. Hereinafter, thecomputers 2-1 through 2-N, the computer 3, the Internet Fax apparatus 4and the fax machine 5 are also referred to as externally connectedinstruments of the multifunctional apparatus 1.

[Configuration and Fundamental Functions of an Image Forming Apparatus]

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the multifunctional apparatus 1, being ofintra-body discharge type, is provided with a panel unit 9 on the nearside on a top face of an apparatus main body. The panel unit 9 includesa touch operating section 10, a display section 11, a lighting section12 and an operating section 13. Also, the multifunctional apparatus 1 isprovided with a document conveying section 14, an image reading section15, an image forming section 16 and a paper feeding section 17 in thisorder toward the direction from the upper part to the lower part of themain body. Additionally, the multifunctional apparatus 1 is providedwith a paper discharge section 18 under the image reading section 15 andthe panel unit 9. Further, the multifunctional apparatus 1 includes amemory section 19, an image processing section 20, a communicationssection 21 and a control section 22 in the main body. The controlsection 22 controls the respective sections of the multifunctionalapparatus 1.

The touch operating section 10, the display section 11 and the lightingsection 12 are disposed at a left portion of the panel unit 9 shown inFIG. 4(A). The display section 11 includes a display panel 111 with aLCD panel and a LCD drive circuit not shown.

On the display panel 111 of the display section 11, varieties ofinformation for printing such as images for a copy setting screen asshown in FIG. 4(B) and so forth is displayed on a display area. Thecontrol section 22 controls content displayed on the display area of thedisplay panel 111.

In the back portion of the display section 11 is disposed the lightingsection 12.

The lighting section 12 is a back light of the display panel 111. Asshown in FIG. 4(C), the lighting section 12 includes a back light unit121 (merely referred to as back light, hereinafter) having a pluralityof LED's and a LED drive circuit not shown. In the figure is shown an eexample in which twenty pieces of LED 122's are arranged in a matrix of5 rows by 4 columns. The control section 22 controls light-on/light-offof each LED 122 by the LED drive circuit, individually. For example, asshown in FIG. 4(E), the control section 22 can perform a control in sucha manner as to cause only a LED 122 of an upper right edge to be turnedon and thereby to cause only a number-of-sheets-to-print portion of thecopy setting screen to be displayed.

The touch operating section 10 is disposed at a front portion of thedisplay section 11. The touch operating section 10 includes a touchpanel 101 and a touched position detecting circuit not shown.

The operating section 13 is disposed at a right portion of the panelunit 9. The operating section 13 includes a plurality of operationbuttons such as a start button 131 for copy and/or fax, a set of numerickeys 132, a function-select button 133, an all-lights-off button 134 andan all-lights-on button 135.

The multifunctional apparatus 1 is one embodiment of an image formingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, andprovided with a print function, a copy function and a fax function.

The print function is a function that performs printing based on printjobs the multifunctional apparatus 1 receives from the computers 2-1through 2-N to produce printed matters.

The computers 2-1 through 2-N each have a built-in printer driver, andeach generate a print job to cause the multifunctional apparatus 1 toprint document data and/or image data according to an operation of eachuser. Then, the computers 2-1 through 2-N each transmit the print job tothe multifunctional apparatus 1 through the LAN 6. The print jobincludes information on the user who ordered the print job andinformation on various kinds of settings for printing and the like, inaddition to the data to print.

If the communications section 21 as the receiving section of the presentinvention receives a print job through the LAN 6, the control section 22of the multifunctional apparatus 1 causes the image data included in theprint job to be output to the image processing section 20. Also, thecontrol section 22 changes settings of the image processing section 20and the image forming section 16 based on the settings for printingincluded in the print job.

When color image data are inputted, the image processing section 20separates the color image into monochromatic images of yellow, magenta,cyan and black, and outputs the respective monochromatic images to theimage forming section 16.

The image forming section 16 forms single color toner images based onthe inputted monochromatic images, and generates a color toner image bysuperimposing the respective single color toner images. Then, the imageforming section 16 transfers the color toner image onto a paper sheetconveyed to a transfer position by the paper feeding section 17, andsubsequently causes a fuser unit to fix the color toner image on thepaper sheet. The paper discharge section 18 discharges a printed matterthat is the paper sheet on which the color toner image has been fixed tothe paper receiving tray (not shown) of a paper discharge section.

The copy function is a function that reads an image of a document at theimage reading section 15 and produces a printed matter copying thedocument based on the print job accepted at the operating section 13.

The control section 22, upon the function-select button 133's beingoperated and thereby the copy function's being selected, and thensubsequently upon accepting setting of a copy condition carried outthrough an operation on the touch panel 101 and the set of numeric keys132, performs settings of the accepted copy condition onto the imageprocessing section 20 and the image forming section 16. At this moment,the control section 22 causes all the LED's of the back light 121 to beturned on so that entire display area of the display panel 111 isilluminated, and causes the display panel 111 to display informationthat depends on the accepted operation. Then, the control section 22,upon accepting an operation of the start button 131, causes a documentto be conveyed to a document table when the document is placed on thedocument conveying section 14 and then to move to the image readingsection 15. The image reading section 15 reads an image of the documenthaving been conveyed by the document conveying section 14 or thedocument placed on the document table. The image reading section 15outputs data of the read image to the image processing section 20. Themultifunctional apparatus 1 performs, from this onward, the sameprocesses as when the print function is selected, and discharges aprinted matter to the paper discharge section 18.

The fax function is functions to transmit image data to and receiveimage data from the Internet Fax apparatus 4 or the Fax machine 5. Here,since this functions is not directly related to the present invention,detailed description thereof is omitted.

The multifunctional apparatus 1, upon accepting a run order of a printjob and then carrying out a printing or copying, stores in the memorysection 19 information on the print job that was carried out.Information to store in the memory section 18 includes, for example,kind of the print job, receipt number of the print job, information on auser who ordered the run of the print job, date and time when the printjob was carried out, number of sheets printed, output paper size, IPaddress of an instrument that received the print job and so forth.

The computers 2-1 through 2-N are those configured in the same manner asgenerally used known personal computers. Thus, configurations thereofare not described in detail.

First Embodiment

Subsequently, a first embodiment of the present invention is explained.In this embodiment, the multifunctional apparatus 1 turns off the entireback light 121, if the entire back light 121 is in a state of keepingbeing turned on when the start button 131 is operated or when a printjob is received from an externally connected instrument. Functioning ofthe multifunctional apparatus 1 is explained below in detail, based onthe flow chart shown in FIG. 5.

When a power supply is turned on, the control section 22 of themultifunctional apparatus 1 performs initializing. In other words, thecontrol section 22 reads out a control program from the memory section19, and performs it. The control section 22 also reads out from thememory section 19 data for a menu screen which is the initial screen.Then, the control section 22 causes the entire display area of thedisplay panel 111 to display the copy setting screen shown in FIG. 4(B)or FIG. 6(H). Also, the control section 22, as shown in FIG. 4(C) orFIG. 6(G), causes all the LED's of the back light 121 to be turned on(S1).

When ready to perform a print job, the control section 22 starts timingfor a predetermined period of time (for example, 3 minutes), and waitsfor an acceptance of an operation at the operating section 13 or areception of a print job from a personal computer 210 at thecommunications section 180 (wait until an image forming is performed)(S2:N,S6:N).

If the operating section 13 has not accepted any operation to start aprint job or if the communications section 21 has not received any printjob from any of externally connected instruments (S2:Y) after thepassage of the predetermined period of time, the control section 22causes all the LED's of the back light 121 to be turned off (S3) (referto FIG. 6(A)). Then, the control section 22, as shown in FIG. 6(B), alsostops display of information on the display panel 111. By so doing,power consumption of the display panel 111 can also be reduced. As longas the communications section 21 does not receive any print job from anyexternally connected instruments such as computer 2-1 (S4:N) and thetouch operating section 10 or the operating section 13 does not acceptany operation (S5: N), the control section 22 continuously keeps oncausing all the LED's of the back light 121 to be turned off (S3).

If the touch operating section 10 or the operating section accepts anoperation (S5:Y) during the time that the image forming section 16 iswaiting (on standby) for an image forming and that all the LED's arekept turned off (S2:Y,S3,S4:N), the control section 22 performs aprocess of step S1.

Also, if the communications section 21 receives a print job from anexternally connected instrument (S4:Y), the control section 22 starts animage forming (S7), and then subsequently causes all the LED's of theback light 121 to be turned off (refer to S8, FIG. 7(A)). This isbecause of the reason that display is useless since a user cannot lookat the display screen of the display section 11 when a print jobreceived from an externally connected instrument is performed. This canyield a reduction in power consumption of the back light.

Similarly, if a predetermined period of time has passed (S2:Y), thecontrol section 22 also causes all the LED's of the back light 121 to beturned off (refer to S3, FIG. 7(B)).

If the operating section 13 accepts a copy start operation, or if thecommunications section 21 receives a print job from an externallyconnected instrument (S2,:, N, S6,:, Y) until a predetermined period oftime passes during the time that all the LED's of the back light 121 arekept turned on, the control section 22 causes the image forming section16 to start an image forming (S7). Also, the control section 22 causesall the LED's of the back light 121 to be turned off (refer to S8, FIG.7(C)).

If the touch operating section 10 or the operating section 13 (exceptfor the all-lights-off button 134 and the all-lights-on button 135)accepts an operation (also referred to as partial light-up operation,hereinafter) (S9:Y) during the time that an image forming is performedand that all the LED's of the back light 121 are kept turned off, thecontrol section 22 causes part of the LED's of the back light 121 to beturned on. Also, the control section 22 causes a partial display regionof the display panel 111 illuminated by the part of the LED's of theback light 121 to display information for printing (S10).

For the information to display on the partial display region, it cancause only part (number-of-sheets-to-print portion) of the copy settingscreen to be displayed without changing the content of the screen, asshown in FIG. 4(D). It can also cause a screen different from the copysetting screen to be displayed.

For example, displaying a display button 141 to display a job statusscreen shown in FIG. 6(D), and/or information on current status of anongoing print job (number of printed sheets and total number of sheetsfor the print job) 153 as shown in FIG. 9(F) is helpful.

The control section 22 starts timing for a predetermined period of timein step S10.

After performing the step S10, the control section 22 repeats theprocesses of step S9 through S14 if an image forming is not finished(S11:N), and if there is no touching operation (S12:N) either on theall-lights-on button 135 or on a region (touch panel 101) for which LED122's are kept turned off, and if there is no operation (S13:N) on theall-lights-off button 134, and if a predetermined period of time has notelapsed (S14:N), and if there is no partial light-up operation at theoperating section 13 (S9:N).

If there is a further partial light-up operation (S9:Y) during the timethat an image forming is performed, the control section 22 expands thedisplay area (S10) For example, as shown in FIG. 6(E), it expands aregion, namely the partial display region, for which part of the LED'sof the back light 121 are turned on. Besides, with the expansion of thepartial display region, it causes the content displayed on the displaypanel 111 to increase to display the specified information, as shown inFIG. 6(F). Displayed in FIG. 6(F) is information on job status 142 asspecified information, for example. The information on job status 142includes information on order in a queue of print jobs the image formingsection performs and information representing current status of anongoing image forming the image forming section is performing. In otherwords, as the information on order in a queue of print jobs the imageforming section performs, an ongoing print job and an order to perform aprint job awaiting a run are displayed. Additionally, a user name whoordered the print job and information on current status of a print job(number of printed sheets and total number of sheets to print) aredisplayed.

If there is an acceptance of an operation to cause the entire back light121 to be turned on (S12:Y) during the time that an image forming isperformed and that the LED's of the back light 121 are either entirelykept turned off or partly kept turned on, the control section 22 causesall the LED's of the back light 121 to be turned on, causes an entiredisplay area of the display panel 111 to display a default screen (referto FIG. 4(B)) for copying, and then accepts an operation of an user. Andagain, it starts timing of a predetermined period of time (S15).

Moreover, it is either when an operation of the all-lights-on button 135is accepted or when a touching operation is accepted at a region forwhich the back light 121 is not turned on during the time that part ofthe back light 121 is kept turned on that the control section 22 causesthe entire back light 121 to be turned on.

The control section 22 repeats processes of steps S15 through S18 if anyof an operation on the touch operating section or on the operatingsection 13 (S16:N), an end of an image forming (S17:N), or a passage ofa predetermined period of time (S18:N) does not occur. Also, if anoperation of the touch operating section 10 or the operating section 13is accepted, the control section 22 accepts content of the operation(S15, S16:Y).

If a predetermined period of time has passed (S18:Y), the controlsection 22 causes all the LED 122's of the back light 121 to be turnedoff (S8). Then, it performs processes from the step S9 onward.

If an image forming process of the image forming section 16 is finished(S17:Y), the control section 22 causes all the LED 122's of the backlight 121 to be turned off (S3). Then, it performs processes from thestep S4 onward.

On the other hand, if the all-lights-off button 134 is operated (S11:N,S12:N, S13:Y) or if a second predetermined period of time (5 seconds)has passed (S14:Y) following the step S10, the control section 22 causesall the LED's of the back light 121 to be turned off (S8). Then, itperforms processes from the step S9 onward.

When the image forming process is finished (S11:Y),the control section22 turns off all the LED 122's of the back light 121 (S3), and performsprocesses from the step S4 onward.

In this manner, with the multifunctional apparatus 1, because all theLED's of the back light 121 are turned off when a printing is started,power consumption of the back light can be reduced. Further, because thepartial display region of the back light is expanded from the statewhere the entire back light is turned off according to the number oftimes of operation at the touch operating section 10 or the operatingsection 13, power consumption of the back light can be prevented fromincreasing abruptly.

Further, the process of turning off the back light 121 if the entireback light 121 is in a state of keeping being turned on when the startbutton 131 is operated or when a print job is received from anexternally connected instrument can also be applied to the back lightconfigured so as to cause the entire display area of the display panelto be turned on/off.

Second Embodiment

Subsequently, a second embodiment of the present invention is explained.In this embodiment, the multifunctional apparatus 1 gradually turns offthe entire back light 121, if the entire back light 121 is in a state ofkeeping being turned on when the start button 131 is operated or when aprint job is received from an externally connected instrument.Functioning of the multifunctional apparatus 1 is explained below indetail, based on the flow chart shown in FIG. 8. Here, the sameprocesses as in the flow chart shown in FIG. 5 are given the same signs,and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

When the power supply is turned on, the control section 22 of themultifunctional apparatus 1 performs initializing in the same manner asthe first embodiment, and causes the entire display area of the displaypanel 111 to display the copy setting screen, and causes all the LED'sof the back light 121 to be turned on (S1). The control section 22performs the processes from the step S1 to S7 in the same manner asthose explained based on FIG. 5. Here, the control section 22 causes allthe LED's of the back light 121 to be turned on (S1) if the touchoperating section 10 or the operating section 13 accepts an operation(S5:Y).

After causing the image forming section 16 to start an image forming(S7), the control section 22 causes the back light 121 to be gradually(stepwise) turned off from the state where all the LED's of the backlight 121 are turned on until finally the entire back light 121 isturned off (S28).

First, the control section 22 causes part of the back light to be turnedoff, if all the LED 122's of the back light are in a state of keepingbeing turned on when the image forming section starts an image forming.And the control section 22 causes a partial display region of thedisplay panel 111 which is illuminated by part of the LED 122's that arekept tuned on even after the other part of the LED 122's are turned offto display information for printing.

It can also cause the partial display region to display only part(number-of-sheets-to-print portion) of the copy setting screen withoutchanging the content of the screen, as shown in FIG. 4(D). Further, itcan also cause a screen different from the copy setting screen to bedisplayed. For example, as shown in FIG. 9(D), information on job status152 is displayed. The information on job status 152 includes informationon order in a queue of print jobs the image forming section performs andinformation representing current status of an ongoing image forming theimage forming section is performing. In other words, as the informationon order in a queue of print jobs the image forming section performs, anongoing print job and an order to perform a print job awaiting a run aredisplayed. Additionally, a user name who ordered the print job andinformation on current status of a print job (number of printed sheetsand total number of sheets to print) are displayed.

When causing the partial display region to display the information forprinting in step S28, the control section 22 starts timing of the secondpredetermined period of time (for example five seconds).

The control section 22 repeats processes of steps S29 through S32 duringthe time that any of an operation of the all-lights-on button 135(S29:N), an end (S30:N) of an image forming process, a passage of thesecond predetermined period of time (S31:N), or an operation of theall-lights-off button 134 (S32:N) does not occur.

If the all-lights-off button 134 is operated (S32Y), the control section22 causes all the LED's of the back light to be turned off. Then, itperforms processes from the step S29 onward.

If the all-lights-on button 135 is operated (S29:Y), the control section22 causes all the LED's of the back light to be turned on, and performsthe steps S15 through S18′ explained based on FIG. 5. Further, if thesecond predetermined period of time has passed (S18′:Y), it causes theplurality of LED's of the back light 121 to be turned off by one step(S28).

If the second predetermined period of time has passed (S31:Y), thecontrol section 22 causes the plurality of LED's of the back light 121to be turned off by additional one step (S28). For example, the controlsection 22 causes part of the plurality of LED 122's to be turned off,thereby changing the state thereof from a state shown in FIG. 9(C) to astate shown in FIG. 9(E). Besides, content of display on the displaypanel 111 is caused to change from the screen showing the information onjob status shown in FIG. 9 (D) to information on current status of anongoing print job (number of printed sheets and total number of sheetsto print for the ongoing print job) shown in FIG. 9(F).

Then, the control section 22 repeats the processes of the steps S29through S32, and causes the plurality of LED's of the back light 121 tobe turned off by further one step (S28) if another further predeterminedperiod of time has passed (S31,Y). For example, the control section 22causes the part of the plurality of LED 122's to be turned off further,and changes the state thereof from the state shown in FIG. 9(E) to astate shown in FIG. 9(G) (where all the LED's are turned off). Inaddition, once causing all the LED's of the back light 121 to be turnedoff, the control section 22 keeps all the LED's turned off even afterthe predetermined period of time has passed further. It is often theinformation representing current status of an ongoing image formingperformed by the multifunctional apparatus 1 that users of the imageforming apparatus usually want to look at. In such cases, as shown inFIG. 9(D) and FIG. 9(F) and as discussed above, displaying theinformation on current status of an ongoing print job until all the LED122's of the back light 121 are turned off enables a user to getnecessary information without any operation at the operating section.

When an operation of the all-lights-off button 134 is accepted (S32:Y),the control section 22 causes all the LED 122's of the back light 121 tobe turned off (S33), and performs the processes from the step S29onward.

When an image forming process is finished (S30:Y), the control section22 causes all the LED 122's of the back light 121 to be turned off (S3),and performs the processes from the step S4 onward.

In this manner, with the multifunctional apparatus 1, since theplurality of LED 122's configuring the back light 121 are graduallyturned off after a printing is started, power consumption of the backlight can be reduced.

The above explanations of the embodiments are nothing more thanillustrative in any respect, nor should be thought of as restrictive.Scope of the present invention is indicated by claims rather than theabove embodiments. Further, it is intended that any changes that areequivalent to a claim in the sense and realm of the doctrine ofequivalence be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: areceiving section for receiving a print job from an externally connectedapparatus; an image forming section for performing an image formingprocess based on the print job; a display section for displayingvarieties of information for the print job; a lighting section forilluminating the display section; and a control section for causing thelighting section in alighted state to be turned off at a first time whenthe image forming section starts the image forming process or at asecond time when the receiving section receives the print job.
 2. Theimage forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlsection is configured to stop display of the varieties of information bythe display section when the control section causes the lighting sectionto be turned off.
 3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,wherein the control section is configured to control the lightingsection in such a manner that an amount of light of the lighting sectionlessens gradually when the control section causes the lighting sectionto be turned off.
 4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2,wherein the control section is configured to control the lightingsection in such a manner that an amount of light of the lighting sectionlessens gradually when the control section causes the lighting sectionto be turned off.
 5. A multifunctional apparatus comprising: an imagereading section for reading an image of a document; an operating sectionfor accepting an operation which starts a job, the job including areading job which the image reading section reads the image; a displaysection for displaying varieties of information for the job; a lightingsection for illuminating the display section; an image forming sectionfor performing an image forming process based on the job; and a controlsection for causing the lighting section in alighted state to be turnedoff at a first time when the image forming section starts the imageforming process or at a third time when the operating section acceptsthe job.
 6. The multifunctional apparatus as claimed in claim 5, whereinthe control section is configured to stop display of the varieties ofinformation by the display section when the control section causes thelighting section to be turned off.
 7. The multifunctional apparatus asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the control section is configured to controlthe lighting section in such a manner that an amount of light of thelighting section lessens gradually when the control section causes thelighting section to be turned off.
 8. The multifunctional apparatus asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the control section is configured to controlthe lighting section in such a manner that an amount of light of thelighting section lessens gradually when the control section causes thelighting section to be turned off.